How to watch Doctor Who online for FREE – stream today's New Year's Day special from anywhere on Earth

(Image credit: BBC)

The waiting is finally over as everybody's favourite time-travelling, shape-shifting hero is kicking off the New Year with the first episode of a news series and we can't think of a way that we'd sooner nurse our hangovers than with a dose of the Doctor. Thankfully, it's easy to watch Doctor Who online, no matter what country you're in - although we probably can't help if you're reading this from another dimension...

So what sci-fi feast lays in wait? It's a two-part epic called Spyfall. And if you're wondering whether it's likely to be some kind of James Bond-style pastiche, then one look at the main promotional image will confirm your train of thought.

As the BBC website says: "Intelligence agents around the world are under attack from alien forces, so MI6 turn to the only people who can help - the Doctor and friends. As they travel the globe looking for answers, attacks come from all sides. Earth’s security rests on the team's shoulders, but where will this planet-threatening conspiracy lead them?" Sounds typically bizarre and compelling in equal measure to us!

It's an unmissable festive TV treat set to broadcast on BBC One at 6.55pm GMT on New Year's Day with part two following at 7pm on Sunday, January 5. It's easy enough to view if you're in the UK. But you can't readily watch iPlayer if you're overseas as it's geo-restricted. That's where this handy guide comes in as our simple instructions below will tell you how to watch Doctor Who online from anywhere in the world – that's something not even a sonic screwdriver can do!

Watch Doctor Who online for free in the UK

How to watch Doctor Who online from outside the UK

If you've been counting down the days to watch the Doctor's latest adventures, then the waiting is almost over. But if you're celebrating the New Year out of the country and try to tune in on iPlayer, you'll find that the stream is blocked due to geo-restrictions.

To get around this, there's a really simple bit of software you can install on your phone or laptop (or even a TV streaming device like Chromecast or Roku) called a VPN - short for Virtual Private Network. It lets you virtually change your IP address back to the UK. It's encrypted too, making it a safer way to navigate the web anyway.

Note that if you're in the US, BBC America will be showing the Doctor Who season finale, too. It will be broadcast at 8pm ET, 7pm CT, 6pm MT and 8pm PT, so Whovians in the States can watch for free without even having to download a VPN. Great news!

Adam is the Content Director of Subscriptions and Services at Future, meaning that he oversees many of the articles the publisher produces about antivirus software, VPN, TV streaming, broadband and mobile phone contracts - from buying guides and deals news, to industry interest pieces and reviews. Leading and developing a great team, Adam can still be seen dusting his keyboard off to write articles for the likes of TechRadar, T3 and Tom's Guide, having started his career at consumer champions Which?.